Planning

I am not at all a pre-packer. I am always amazed and a bit in awe of people who pack for trips a few days before they leave. I typically pack the morning of my trip unless I am leaving at some unearthly early hour of the morning...then it happens the night before because sleep always wins. Things change a bit when you won't be back to your house for about 6 months in addition to traveling half-way around the world.

I have a bunch of random items that I have purchased here to take back with me. I've done this either because it is cheaper (hello...dish rack) or because they are things I cannot get in Singapore. Because of all of these random items I have started the planning stage of packing. I have both suitcases out on our spare bed and have begun gathering all of my things on the bed as well.

It is a random collection of items (TSA is going to wonder what I am doing) some of which include:

• clothes & shoes - I brought with me for the trip
• some new clothes - because if you are over 5'4" and weigh more than 110 lbs you need to buy them here
• dish rack - which I don't think needs any further explanation
• wrenches - so I can put my IKEA purchased items together - I forgot these last trip
• spices - much cheaper here
• travel sized saline solution - I cannot find this in Singapore
• coffee - because I love our local coffee shop and Asia has horrible, horrible coffee
• power voltage converter - this was $150 cheaper here and is much needed in order to brew all the coffee
  

In addition to starting the packing process I also have all sorts of electronic items charging around the house. I am also downloading the latest season of Bones from iTunes. The Singaporean government does not allow downloads of music, movies, or TV shows from iTunes because they consider it a form of pirating. Therefore, I have to download enough things to get me through to September when I'll be back on US soil.

The full packing won't actually happen until tomorrow afternoon but in the meantime...lots of planning, charging, and downloading.